§ Mr. Temple-MorrisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the Forestry Commission Employees Pension Fund is funded; and how much public money was made available to it in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [120485]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Forestry Commission Pension Scheme operates in the same way as the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme. Prior to devolution, benefits were paid from the net grant in aid for forestry voted by Parliament. Net payments in each of the last three years, after allowing for receipts from employee contributions and transfers to and from other schemes were:
£million 1996–97 28.9 1997–98 26.5 1998–99 26.8 Once the devolution settlement is fully in place, the employers contributions which until now have been assessed only for internal Forestry Commission accounting purposes, will be paid from money provided by Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. In 1998–99 this amounted to £6.4 million. The balance will continue to be paid from money provided by Parliament.